Office



A. G. K NO X.

FIRE-ESCAPES.

No. 195,024, -Patented'Sept.11,1877.

ATTORNEYS.

N-PETERS. PHOTO-LII'HOGRAPHEH. WASHINGTON. 0 cv rrrc.

ANNABELLA G. KNOX, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN FIRE-ESCAPES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 95,02fi, dated September 11, 1877; application filed June 18, 1877.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ANNABELLA G. Knox, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Fire-Escape, of which the following is a specificatiOn:

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a perspective view of my improved fire-escape, and Fig. 2 is a detail view of the loop end of the same for application to the body of a child or a package.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The invention relates to an improved fireescape, which may be stored away in compact shape, is instantly ready for use, allows the convenientlowerin g of children, packages, 8rd, from upper stories, and'forms, finally, a convenient communication with the ground from any height.

The invention consists of a rope of suitable strength, having bolstered stops secured at suitable distance to the rope, which is secured to the floor or other support of the upper story, and provided with similarly bolstered loops or handles at the part passing over the window-sill. The lower end may be closed to form a loop to be placed around the body of children, or around packages and other articles.

In the drawing, A represents the rope of my fire-esoape, which is made of a length corresponding to the height of upper stories of hotels and other buildings above the ground. The rope is made of sufficient thickness to carry any weight that may be placed thereon.

The rope A is provided with bolstered stops B, which are arranged at suitable distance from each other to serve as supports for the hands and legs in descending along the rope. The stops B may be made of canvas, leather, or other covering, filled with batting or other stufiing or bolstering material.

The upper end of the covering of the stops is first sewed onto the rope, then bolstered around the rope, and finally sewed at the lower end to the rope, so as to form a yielding support that may be readily grasped by the hands in descending along the rope, the bolstered stops serving also as rests for the legs,

while passing freely between the same without hurting or chafing them.

The rope is attached by a split link, snaplink, or other fastening device, a, to a fixed staple, b, of the floor, or to any other suitable .point of support. The rope is then placed over the sill and lowered.

That part of the rope passing over the sill is provided with loop-shaped and bolstered handles (3, which are first looped and then firmly spliced and bolstered, as shown in Fig. 1. They serve for the purpose of giving a better support when mounting the sill and passing over the same, and down along the upper part of the rope.

If desired, a chain may be run from the door along the upper part over the sill, passing the looped handles, so that the burning of that part by fire in the room is avoided, and the descent of persons insured without danger from the burning of the rope.

The lower end of the rope is provided with a hook, spring-snap, or split link, d, that connects with one or more rings, 6, spliced in the rope. The loop formedthereby serves to be placed around the chest and below the arms of a child, (which is protected by a pillow in front against being hurt by the rope,) or around the trunks or other packages or articles that are desired to be saved. These are firstlowered by the rope, which serves, when arriving at the ground, for the escape of the persons in danger.

The fire-escape may be stored away in a suitable box in the rooms, balls, or other suitable place, is instantly ready for use, packed into small space, and cheaply manufactured.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent A fire-escape, made of a rope with bolstered stops or supports at suitable distances from each other, and with loop-shaped and bolstered handles at the upper part passing over the sill, substantially as specified.

, ANNABELLA G. KNOX.

Witnesses:

PAUL GOEPEL, O. SEDGWIGK. 

